A California jury has ordered R&B star Chris Brown to pay $12.9 million in damages to a housekeeper who was mauled by a dog at one of his properties. Maria Avila was working at Brown's house in Tarzana, California, in 2020 when she was attacked by Hades, a Caucasian shepherd used as a guard dog.
During the trial in Van Nuys, California, Avila testified that she suffered severe injuries to her arm and face, requiring dozens of sutures and skin grafts from her abdomen to her arm. She also reported post-traumatic stress disorder and nerve damage that has made it difficult to work.
Brown was home at the time of the attack. In his testimony, he stated that he secured the dog in a kennel after it injured Avila. His security guard called an ambulance, but Brown left before it arrived. He told the court he left to avoid a "media circus, because of my status as an artist … so me just kind of staying away was advised."
Arguments over negligence and warnings
Brown admitted negligence but argued that the guard dog was necessary because "I get a lot of stalker-type situations." He claimed he had warned Avila and her sister Patricia not to go outside without asking him due to the danger posed by Hades. However, the Avilas denied that this conversation took place. Brown also disputed the extent of Avila's injuries.
Avila sued Brown in 2021, but the trial only recently concluded with the jury siding with the Avilas. According to Billboard, Patricia Avila was awarded $885,000 for emotional distress, and Maria's husband, Oscar Olivo, received $50,000.
Reaction from legal team
Michael C Murphy Jr, a lawyer for Patricia, told Rolling Stone: "After more than five years of litigating against Chris Brown, we are thrilled that we were able to get justice for our client, Patricia. We are so happy for her and her family after everything they went through on that horrible day."
Brown has long been one of the most successful R&B artists in the US, with eight of his 12 albums certified platinum. He is currently on a co-headlining tour with Usher, performing stadium dates across the US and Canada.
History of legal troubles
This dog attack is the latest in a long line of lawsuits and criminal trials faced by Brown. In 2009, he was arrested for physically assaulting his then-girlfriend, pop singer Rihanna. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to community service, a restraining order, and five years of probation. He violated probation in 2014 and was jailed for 131 days.
In 2016, Brown settled out of court after a claim of assault by a former manager. In 2017, another girlfriend, Karrueche Tran, was granted a restraining order against him. In 2023, Brown was alleged to have assaulted a music producer, Abraham Diaw, at a members' club in Mayfair, London. He was arrested in 2025 and charged with grievous bodily harm with intent, pleading not guilty at Southwark Crown Court. His trial will begin on 26 October alongside co-defendant Omololu Akinlolu, also known as musician HoodyBaby.
Brown has also sued a woman for allegedly defaming him by accusing him of rape on a yacht in Miami in 2020. He attempted to launch a $500 million lawsuit against the makers of a documentary, Chris Brown: A History of Violence, which featured details of the alleged assault. That lawsuit was dismissed by a judge in January, who argued that the film provided balance, but the judge allowed Brown's lawsuit against his accuser to proceed.
